River Cruising
Romantic Danube Viking River Cruise - Krems, Austria
Anyone interested in a relaxing yet culturally immersive experience?
If your hand is raised or you’re thinking “YES, that’s me!”, let’s embark on a journey with Viking River Cruises!
Not sure what you’re travel style is, but mine has always involved a plane and hotel or Airbnb. A plane because I want to get to my destination as quickly as possible, the excitement building over time! A hotel or Airbnb as I always really love connecting with the locals, exploring the land, and diving deeper into the culture at hand, which means I tend to get out my Google Maps and walk A LOT (let’s get those steps in so we can taste all the local and amazing cuisine, am I right?!)
Despite my love of the land, walking and exploring, my heart and mind was opened to the idea of cruising with Viking - and let me tell you, it does not disappoint! I always imagined the way to really be culturally immersed was flying and landing in a place, not cruising - how I was mistaken!
The trip I am speaking about is the Romantic Danube Cruise, which is has an 8 day itinerary where you hit 3 countries beginning in Budapest, Hungary and ending in Regensburg, Germany. From the time we boarded our ship through the end of the cruise, the service and experience was absolutely exceptional! You are basically living on a floating luxury hotel for the duration of your trip - what’s not to love?
Even before our cruise, Viking prepared us well through our online account and checklist of items we needed to complete. Their customer service was also very responsive and beyond helpful! They even have Viking.TV where you can watch videos on your cruise along with the excursions that you can take.
We arrived in Budapest 5 days before our cruise so we had time to get acclimated and do some exploring as you only have 1 full day in Budapest from the time of check-in (and there is so much to see and do in this captivating city!). Highly recommend doing a pre-trip, however many days are allowed, in the city you begin your cruise so that you can make the most of your time in the place you are traveling halfway across the world to see and experience.
Upon boarding, Viking crew members saw us coming with our luggage and kindly stopped us to ask what ship we were on, took all of our luggage, and led us to check-in. From that point on it was literally smooth sailing! Everything was taken care of and for a passionate planner like myself, it was refreshing to experience this side of traveling.
In between arriving to each port, the staff prepare you by providing a schedule to your room the evening before along with an informative newsletter that includes cultural facts and fun for each place you disembark. They also make announcements the day before and day of so you will not miss out on anything!
One of my favorite moments on the cruise was scenic sailing through Austria’s beautiful Wachau Valley. Let me set the scene…
In front of the ship is an all-glass room where you have an incredible 360 degree view to sit inside yet are still able to see everything outside. Our trip was mid-November so this was perfect! The air was crisp and everything was turning golden yellow with brilliant hues of reds and oranges - it was stunning. We were curled up on a comfortable leather sofa with cozy blankets that were provided by the staff. The sommelier came by to recommend top wines from the region we were sailing through and our glasses were constantly filled while high-quality food was being served, along with any array of moving instrumental music playing in the background. It was living a dream come true.
The Wachau Valley is an UNESCO World Heritage Site where you’ll pass through serene hillsides and vineyards, and picturesque towns and castles. As you sail through this fairytale with melodic music playing and glass of wine in hand, you are transported mind, body, and soul. For someone who loves to explore and be on the go, this was a great way to do that while still being able to relax. Occasionally, when we would pass a notable sight or landmark, a guide would come on the speaker and share historical information, which was really helpful and timely, not disruptive of the experience taking place.
So, dear discoverer, if you want to be inspired and are looking for an extraordinary, unique, and cultural experience, I highly recommend river cruising with Viking. You will not want to miss out on the spectacular journeys they have around the world. Maybe your next discovery is one click away?
Much love,
